Plastic food distributing container, divide-type plastic food distributing container, and plastic food distributing device

ABSTRACT

A container for distributing a plastic food such as soft serve ice cream and a container capable of simultaneously distributing a plurality of plastic substances include a circular bottom portion provided with an opening, a side face with a circular-arc-shaped face and a sword-guard-shaped portion protruded outwardly in a perpendicular direction to each side face. The container is constituted so that a wall thickness of the side face is smaller than that of the circular bottom portion and that the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is larger than that of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a container that can store anddistribute a plastic substance such as soft serve ice cream and adistributing device thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, there are provided containers that can store anddistribute a plastic substance such as soft serve ice cream in JapaneseLaid-Open Patent Publication No.H10-502251 and Registration of UtilityModel No.2568808. Particularly, these approaches are characterized byalmost completely discharging a content food by deforming the same intoa flat shape through pressurization by providing the container with athread groove.

However, conventional methods required complicated works such that acontainer for distributing plastic food such as the soft serve ice creamis provided with the thread groove. Namely, it was for easily crushingthe container when distributing and for preventing the plastic food suchas the soft serve ice cream from staying inside after crushing.

There are also two methods for manufacturing the soft serve ice creamcomposed of a plurality of components using a distributing container inthe use of a conventional container.

First method is a method of previously injecting the cream composed of aplurality of components inside the distributing container and thendistributing the cream from one distributing container. This method hasan advantage that a distributing step comprises a single process.However, the method has had a problem that the soft serve ice cream isalready mixed when distributing it, and thereby combination of mixtureof the soft serve ice creams cannot be decided.

Second method is also a method of distributing one soft serve ice creamfrom a first distributing container and thereafter distributing theother soft serve ice cream composed of a different component using thefirst distributing container and the second distributing containercontaining one of a plurality of components respectively. In this case,combination of mixture can be decided when distributing the soft serveice cream. However, the method has had problems that because adistribution is performed with the first distributing container andthereafter the other distribution is performed with the secondcontainer, it takes time for distributing and further time differenceoccurs in distributions of the first and second distributing containers.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a simpler container fordistributing plastic substance such as soft serve ice cream and tofurther provide a container capable of determining combination of aplurality of plastic substances when distributing and thereafterdistributing the plurality of plastic substances simultaneously and adistributing device thereof.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objects, a plastic food distributing containeraccording to the present invention comprises a circular bottom portionprovided with an opening, a side face comprising a circular-arc-shapedface, and a sword-guard-shaped portion protruded outwardly in aperpendicular direction to each side face, wherein the container isconstituted so that wall thickness of the side face is smaller than thatof the circular bottom portion and that the wall thickness of thesword-guard-shaped portion is larger than that of the circular bottomportion.

Also, the wall thickness of the circular bottom portion may be between0.2 mm and 0.5 mm inclusive, and the wall thickness of the side face maybe between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, and further the wall thicknessof the sword-guard-shaped portion may be between 0.35 mm and 0.55 mminclusive. Material of the container may be a hard-type thin syntheticresin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, biodegradable resin, andhigh-density polyethylene or cold resistance grade thereof.

Further, a divided type plastic food distributing container for softserve ice cream etc. according to the present invention comprises ahalf-moon-shaped bottom portion provided with an opening, a first sideface comprising a flat face, a second side face comprising acircular-arc-shaped face, and a sword-guard-shaped portion protrudedoutwardly in a perpendicular direction to each side face, wherein thecontainer is constituted so that wall thickness of the first and secondside faces is smaller than that of the half-moon-shaped bottom portionand that the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is largerthan that of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion.

This opening may be formed at the center of the half-moon-shaped bottomportion.

This opening may be formed in contact with the first side face from thecenter of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion.

The wall thickness of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion may be between0.2 mm and 0.5 mm inclusive, and the wall thickness of the first andsecond side faces may be between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, andfurther the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion may bebetween 0.35 mm and 0.55 mm inclusive.

The material of this container may be a hard-type thin synthetic resinsuch as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride,ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, biodegradable resin, and high-densitypolyethylene or cold resistance grade thereof.

And a divided type plastic food distributing container for the softserve ice cream etc. according to the present invention comprises asector form bottom portion provided with an opening, a first side facecomprising a flat face, a second side face situating next to the firstside face, a third side face comprising a circular-arc-shaped face, anda sword-guard-shaped portion protruded outwardly in a perpendiculardirection to each side face, wherein the container is constituted sothat wall thickness of the first, second and third side faces is smallerthan that of the sector form bottom portion and that the wall thicknessof the sword-guard-shaped portion is larger than that of the sector formbottom portion.

The plastic food distributing device according to the present inventionis provided with a pressing rod for pressing a plastic food and acontainer holder arranged with the divided type plastic fooddistributing container.

Further, a plastic food distributing device according to the presentinvention comprises a pressing equipment comprising an upper pressingplate and a columnar pressing portion protruded perpendicularly at thecenter of the upper pressing plate, and a flat type container holdercomprising a lower pressing plate and a cylinder protrudedperpendicularly underneath the plate, wherein the cylinder is providedwith a circular opening at the center of the lower pressing plate andwith a small circular opening at the center of a bottom plate of thecylinder.

The plastic food distributing device according to the present inventionalso comprises a pressing plate and a pressing portion protrudedperpendicularly from the pressing plate, and a cylindrical containerholder provided with an upper opening and a bottom face and having asmall opening at the center of the bottom face.

Further in these plastic food distributing devices, a groove may berecessed in a diameter direction of the bottom portion of the columnarportion in the pressing portion and a partitioning plate may be arrangedparallel to the groove at the center of the cylinder of the containerholder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a plastic food distributing container offirst embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural view of a divided type plastic food distributingcontainer of second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural view of a divided type plastic food distributingcontainer of third embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a plastic food distributing container of thefirst embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a divided type plastic food distributingcontainer of the second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a trisected divided type plastic fooddistributing container of fourth embodiment according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a quadrisected divided type plastic fooddistributing container of fifth embodiment according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a structural view of a container holder of the divided typeplastic food distributing container of the first embodiment according tothe present invention.

FIG. 9 is a structural view of a pressing equipment of the plastic fooddistributing container of the first embodiment according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a structural view of a pushing device capable of pressingonly through a hand push operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a structural view of another pushing device capable ofpressing only through a hand push operation according to the presentinvention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In other detailed constitution of the present invention, advantages andfeatures are made clear by embodiments described below in reference toaccompanied drawings.

A distributing container 1 according to the present invention isconstituted of a circular bottom face 2, a side face 4 perpendicular tothe bottom face 2, and a sword-guard-shaped portion 6 which is protrudedperpendicular to an end of the side face and parallel to the bottom face2, and is provided with an opening 8 at the center of the bottom portion2.

Wall thickness of the bottom face 2 is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mminclusive. The shape of the opening is reflected on a plastic food byforming a thick bottom face 2. Namely, when the shape of the opening isa star shape, the plastic food distributed from the distributingcontainer is also the star shape. The wall thickness of the side face isbetween 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive. By forming a side face of the wallthickness of 0.1 mm or more, even though the container is filled withthe plastic food, the container does not bulge. By forming a side faceof the wall thickness of 0.3 mm or less, the container can be easilycrushed and further the container becomes almost flat when beingcrushed, thereby the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion ispreferably between 0.35 mm and 0.55 mm inclusive. By forming thesword-guard-shaped portion of the wall thickness of 0.35 mm or more, itbecomes easy to seal the opening, and by forming the sword-guard-shapeportion of the wall thickness of 0.55 mm or less, it is possible tosimultaneously form the side face thinner.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the case that the container is divided. Indistributing containers 10 and 12 according to the present invention, aflat plate side face 16 erects perpendicular to a linear part of ahalf-moon-shaped bottom portion 14. While, an arcuate side face 18erects perpendicular to a circular-arc part of the half-moon-shapedbottom portion 14. The flat plate side face 16 and the arcuate side face18 are respectively jointed at both ends perpendicular to the bottomportion 14. A linear sword-guard-shaped portion 22 is further protrudedparallel to the bottom face at the side of an opening opposite to abottom side of the flat plate side face 16. While, an arcuatesword-guard-shaped portion 20 is protruded parallel to the bottom faceat the side of the opening opposite to a bottom side of the arcuate sideface 18.

In addition, the bottom portion 14 is provided with a star-shape opening24 and any of the star-shaped openings are formed so as to abut on thelinear part of the bottom portion 14.

Though material of the distributing container is not particularlylimited, the material may be a hard-type thin synthetic resin such aspolypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride,ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and high-density polyethylene or coldresistance grade thereof, wherein wall thickness is between 0.2 mm and0.5 mm inclusive. A corn-based biodegradable resin or otherbiodegradable resins may be also used. The wall thickness of the flatplate side face 16 and the arcuate side face 18 is preferably between0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, and the wall thicknesses of the arcuatesword-guard-shaped portion 20 and the linear sword-guard-shaped portion22 are desirably between 0.35 mm and 0.55 mm inclusive. The wallthickness of the bottom portion 2 is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mminclusive. By forming the container of the wall thickness of this size,the distributing container can be easily crushed after distributing softserve ice cream and can be also prevented from bulging when filling thesoft serve ice cream.

Such constitution enables the container according to the presentinvention to be arranged as two containers, compared to normally onecolumnar container, and also enables two kinds of the soft serve icecream to be arranged and distributed simultaneously. The openings forpushing out the soft serve ice cream are provided adjacently, therebythe two kinds of the soft serve ice cream are allowed to come close toeach other at the openings and to be distributed. Two kinds of softserve ice cream can be mixed simultaneously, thereby when there are fivekinds of soft serve ice cream, fifteen combinations are possible. Inthis regard, the soft serve ice cream is an example and the plastic foodis not limited to this soft serve ice cream and the container can intendfood having plasticity such as mousse, bavarois, and whipped cream.

Then, a distributing container of second embodiment according to thepresent invention is shown in FIG. 3. Difference from the distributingcontainer of the first embodiment is in arrangement of an opening 26. Inthe second embodiment, the opening 26 is arranged at the center of thebottom face 6. Such constitution enables the soft serve ice cream to bedistributed independently when distributing.

FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the distributing container illustrated inFIG. 1, which is viewed from the bottom face. An opening 8 is shown atthe center of the bottom face 2.

FIG. 5 shows a view when the containers shown in FIG. 2 unite. A bottomface and an opening are symbolized by 14 and 24, respectively. The endof the bottom face is shown by a line segment 15, and an abutting partof line segments in the openings is minimized.

FIG. 6 shows a bottom view when trisecting a container. Openings 30 areshown on bottom faces 28 and border lines are symbolized by 29. Threecombinations are possible. In the case of five kinds of soft serve icecream, thirty-five combinations are possible.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view when dividing the container into fourquarters. Openings 34 are shown on bottom faces 32 and border lines aresymbolized by 33. In the case of five kinds of soft serve ice cream,seventy combinations are possible.

Further, FIG. 8 shows a container holder 35 for pressing by arrangingthe distributing container according to the present invention. Thecontainer holder 35 is provided with an opening 38 on a bottom face 36and the end of the container holder is provided with a cylindrical sideface 40. In addition, a partitioning plate 42 is protruded perpendicularto the bottom face, thereby the container holder 35 is divided into twocompartments.

Two distributing containers according to the present invention can befixed in a space of one normal distributing cantainer.

The opening 38 is also on the bottom face 36, thereby the soft serve icecream is allowed to be pushed out from the opening. These partitioningplates of the container holder are further formed for trisection orquadrisection, thereby a container holder suitable for the containercorresponding to them can be formed.

FIG. 9 shows a pushing equipment 44 of a pushing device. The pushingeuipment 44 is constituted so that an entire shape is columnar and sothat a slit 48 perpendicular to a bottom face corresponding to thepartitioning plates of the container holder is provided on the lowerpart, thereby to press only the container arranged on the containerholder without pressing the partitioning plate. Diameter of the pushingequipment 44 is almost the same as diameter of the plastic fooddistributing container, and the length of the pushing equipment 44 islarger than that of the plastic food distributing container.

This pushing equipment can be used for other equally divided containerholder by arranging the slit into trisection or quadrisection so as tocorrespond to the partitioning plates.

FIG. 10 shows pushing device capable of pressing only by a hand pushoperation according to the present invention. This pushing device isconstituted of a pair of pressing equipment of a flat type pressingequipment 50 and a flat type container holder 52.

The flat type pressing equipment 50 have a columnar pressing portion 56protruded downwardly in a perpendicular direction at the center of theupper pressing plate 54 comprising a flat plate. A diameter of thecolumn is almost the same as the diameter of the plastic fooddistributing container and the length of the column is larger than thatof the pastic food distributing container.

On the other hand, the flat type container holder 52 is provided with anopening 60 which is a size to be possible to insert the pressing portion56 at the center of the lower pressing plate 58. Further, a cylinder 62having the same shape as the opening 60 of the lower pressing plate 58is arranged downwardly in a perpendicular direction. A bottom face 64 ofthe cylinder 62 is sealed and a small opening 66 is provided at thecenter of the bottom face 64.

A plastic food distributing container filled with soft serve ice creamis arranged on the cylinder 62 of the flat type container holder 60 ofthe pushing device capable of pushing out only by a hand push operationin the above constitution. The flat type pressing portion 56 is arrangedfrom thereon. A user applies a pressure onto the distributing containerof the soft serve ice cream inside the cylinder 62, however, intervalbetween the upper pressing plate 54 and the lower pressing plate isreduced to complete applying presure, then the soft serve ice cream ispushed out from the small opening 66.

FIG. 11 shows a pushing device capable of pressing only by a differenthand push operation according to the present invention. The pushingdevice is constituted of a pressing equipment 68 and a container holder70.

The pressing equipment 68 is constituted of a pressing plate 72comprising a flat plate, a pressing rod 74 connected perpendicular tothe pressing plate 72, and a pressing portion 76 of a columnar shapewhich is connected with the pressing rod 74 at the bottom face thereof.The diameter of the column is almost the same as that of the plasticfood distributing container and the length of the column is larger thanthat of the plastic food distributing container.

While, the container holder 70 has an opening 78 and comprises acylinder having a bottom face 82 at the bottom. A small opening 84 isprovided at the center of the bottom face 82. This opening 78 and thecylinder 80 are formed into the sizes into which the plastic fooddistributing container and the pressing portion 76 can be inserted. Ahandle 85 for fixing the container holder 70 is provided on the opening78.

In the above constitution, a plastic food distributing container wherethe cylinder 80 of the flat type container holder 70 of the pushingdevice capable of pressing only by a hand push operation is filled withthe soft serve ice cream is arranged.

The pressing portion 76 is arranged from thereon. The user applies apressure onto a distributing container of the soft serve ice creamwithin the cylinder 80, however the pressing plate 72 is then pressed,thereby the pressure is transmitted to the pressing portion 76 throughthe pressing rod 74 to complete the depression, then the soft serve icecream is pushed out from the small opening 84.

In the pushing device capable of applying pressure only by a hand pushoperation such as FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the slits are provided on thepressing portions 56 and 57 and a partitioning plate is provided on thecontainer holders 62 and 80, thereby even a divided type plastic fooddistributing container can be distributed.

1. A plastic food distributing container for soft serve ice cream etc.comprising a circular bottom portion provided with an opening, a sideface constituted of a circular-arc-shaped face, and a sword-guard-shapedportion protruded outwardly in a perpendicular direction to each sideface, wherein the container is constituted so that wall thickness of thside face is smaller than that of the circular bottom portion, and thewall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is larger than that ofa half-moon-shaped bottom portion
 2. A plastic food distributingcontainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall thickness of thecircular bottom portion is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm inclusive, the wallthickness of the side face is between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, andthe wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is 0.35 mm and 0.55mm inclusive.
 3. A plastic food distributing container as claimed inclaim 1, wherein material of the container is a hard-type thin syntheticresin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, biodegradable resin, andhigh-density polyethylene or cold resistance grade thereof.
 4. A dividedtype plastic food distributing container for soft serve ice cream etc.comprising a half-moon-shaped bottom portion provided with an opening, afirst side face comprising a flat face, a second side face comprising acircular-arc-shaped face, and a sword-guard-shaped portion protrudedoutwardly in a perpendicular direction to each side face, wherein thecontainer is constituted so that wall thicknesses of the first side faceand the second side face are smaller than that of the half-moon-shapedbottom portion and that the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shapedportion is larger than that of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion.
 5. Adivided plastic food distributing container as claimed in claim 4,wherein an opening is formed at the center of the half-moon-shapedbottom portion.
 6. A divided plastic food distributing container asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the opening is formed in contact with thefirst side face from the center of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion.7. A divided plastic food distributing container as claimed in claim 4,wherein the wall thickness of the half-moon-shaped bottom portion isbetween 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm inclusive, the wall thicknesses of the firstand the second side faces are between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, andthe wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is between 0.35 mmand 0.55 mm inclusive.
 8. A divided plastic food distributing containeras claimed in claim 4, wherein material of the container is a hard-typethin synthetic resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene,polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, biodegradableresin, and high-density polyethylene, or cold resistance grade thereof.9. A divided plastic food distributing container for soft serve icecream etc. comprising a sector form bottom portion provided with anopening, a first side face comprising a flat face, a second side facesituating next to the first side face, a third side face comprisingcircular-arc-shaped face, a sword-guard-shaped portion protrudedoutwardly in a perpendicular direction to each side face, wherein thecontainer is constituted so that wall thicknesses of the first, secondand third side faces are smaller than that of the sector form bottomportion and the wall thickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion islarger than that of the sector form bottom portion.
 10. A dividedplastic food distributing container as claimed in claim 9, wherein thewall thickness of the sector form bottom portion is between 0.2 mm and0.5 mm inclusive, the wall thicknesses of the first, second and thirdside faces are between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm inclusive, and the wallthickness of the sword-guard-shaped portion is between 0.35 mm and 0.55mm inclusive.
 11. A divided plastic food distributing container asclaimed in claim 9, wherein material of the container is a hard-typethin synthetic resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene,polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, biodegradableresin, and high-density polyethylene, or cold resistance grade thereof.12. A plastic food distributing device provided with a pressing portionfor pressing a plastic food and a container holder arranged with theplastic food distributing container.
 13. A plastic food distributingdevice comprising a pressing equipment comprising an upper pressingplate and a pressing portion of a columnar shape protrudedperpendicularly at the center of the upper pressing plate and a flattype container holder provided with a lower pressing plate and acylinder which is provided with a circular opening at the center of thelower pressing plate and further provided with a small circular openingat the center of the bottom plate and which is protruded downwardly in aperpendicular direction.
 14. A plastic food distributing devicecomprising a pressing plate, a pressing portion protrudedperpendicularly from the pressing plate, and a container holder of acylindrical shape provided with an upper opening and a bottom face andhaving a small opening at the center of the bottom face.
 15. A plasticfood distributing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a pushingportion is recessed with a groove in a diameter direction of the bottomportion of a columnar portion and partitioning plates parallel to thegroove at the center of the cylinder of the container holder.
 16. Aplastic food distributing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein apushing portion is recessed with a groove in a diameter direction of thebottom portion of a columnar portion and partitioning plates parallel tothe groove at the center of the cylinder of the container holder.
 17. Aplastic food distributing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein apushing portion is recessed with a groove in a diameter direction of thebottom portion of a columnar portion and partitioning plates parallel tothe groove at the center of the cylinder of the container holder.